A Royal Navy midget submarine known as an X-craft undergoes testing - East coast of England, 1944. The X-craft carried out some notable operations including one on the German battleship Tirpitz on 23rd Sept 1943 in Kaafjord, Norway. The one pictured is the XE8 "Expunger" which was an improved version of the X. #ww2 #worldwar2 #xclass #submarine #royalnavy #yorkshire #england
#XClass
#SolarFlare update via #SolarHam
Another X-Flare
June 19, 2025 @ 23:55 UTC
"X-Flare Alert. Sunspot region 4114 just produced an X1.9 solar flare peaking at 23:50 UTC (Jun 19). Coronal dimming is not yet evident meaning a noteworthy #CME is unlikely. More to follow whenever necessary."
#XClass #SolarFlare
#SolarCycle25 #SpaceWeather
#SOHO #CarringtonEvent
#Preparedness
Millions of Americans Told to Stay Indoors After Rare X1.2-Class Solar Flare Eruption
Story by Michaele Allies
June 17, 2025
"On June 17, 2025, the Sun unleashed a powerful X1.2-class solar flare from sunspot region 4114, which was directly facing Earth. This intense burst of energy prompted warnings for millions of Americans to stay indoors for three days due to increased radiation risks and communication disruptions. The flare caused immediate effects such as radio blackouts, especially over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii, impacting aviation and amateur radio operations.
"This event underscores the importance of understanding solar flares, as they can significantly affect Earth's environment and modern technology, including satellites, power grids, and navigation systems. #NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory [#SDO] captured detailed imagery of the flare, while #NOAA issued alerts to help mitigate its impact. As solar activity intensifies during this solar cycle, such events remind us of the Sun’s power and the need for preparedness against space weather threats."
#XClass #SolarFlare #SolarCycle25 #SpaceWeather #SOHO #CarringtonEvent #Preparedness
It seems my mic won't disconnect from my #FT891, so I'll use it until I figure out how to detach it. 😅 The sun is doing its best impersonation of Rice Krispies-Snap,Crackle & Pop on all the bands today. That earlier #Xclass #solarflare didn't help much. #AmateurRadio #hamradio
I just saw that there was an #XClass #SolarFlare (X8.79?). Not sure where it originated from. If it's #AR3664, we could be in for a #ParkerSpiral event. More soon...
#SolarCycle25 #SolarFlares
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER X-FLARE: Solar activity has gone into overdrive. Since May 3rd, Earth-orbiting satellites have detected four X-class solar flares and an even greater number of almost X-class events. The responsible sunspot, AR3663, is still very active, and NOAA forecasters say more X-flares are possible this week. https://spaceweather.com has details.
Image: The extreme ultraviolet flash from an X4.5-class solar flare on May 6, 2024. Credit: NASA/SDO
#XFlare #Solar #XClass #Spaceweather #AR3663 #NASA #SDO #Flare #Sunspot
via #SpaceWeather . com
"EARTH-DIRECTED #CME--CONFIRMED: Today's #XClass #SolarFlare did indeed produce a CME, and it has an Earth-directed component. A NASA model suggests the southern flank of the CME will arrive on May 5th around 1800 UT. The impact could cause #G1 to #G2-class #geomagnetic storms on May 5th and 6th."
#Mclass #Xclass #solarflares today created #QSB on 20,17 & 15 meters making it difficult to hear #QRP signals like this 20 meter #Morsecode #POTA #parksontheair activation with Tim #VA3UV #AmateurRadio #hamradio @POTAspots
The #sun just launched 3 huge #SolarFlares in 24 hrs. What it means.
3 top-tier #Xclass #solar flares launched off the sun between Wed & Thurs. The first 2 occurred 7 hrs apart, coming in at X1.9 & X1.6 magnitude respectively. The 3rd, the most powerful of the current 11-yr “solar cycle,” ranked an impressive X6.3.
#Space #Science #Heliophysics #Astrophysics
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/02/22/solar-flares-cycle-xclass-radio-att/
Far-side #XClass #SolarFlare -- good thing it's not Earth-facing!
SolarHam: X2.5 / CME Update
February 16, 2024 @ 12:20 UTC
"Multiple coronal mass ejections are visible in the latest cornagraph imagery.
"For the third day in a row, an energetic eruption was observed off the farside of the Sun. This will obviously be directed away from Earth.
"The impulsive X2.5 solar flare around AR 3576 this morning resulted in a beautiful eruption of plasma off the southwest limb. Although there is currently a gap in imagery, the main stream of plasma appears to be headed away from Earth. I do not expect a noteworthy impact from this event."
Current Solar Flare Threat
C-Flare: 99%
M-Flare: 60%
X-Flare: 15%
Proton: 15%
Source:
https://www.solarham.net/
#SpaceWeather update via #SolarHam
"Major #SolarFlare
December 31, 2023 @ 23:55 UTC
Ringing in the new year with a bang. Now the strongest solar event of the current solar cycle, a major X5.0 #SolarFlare was observed around AR 3536 (ex 3514) at 21:55 UTC (Dec 31). Coronal dimming is evident and coronal mass ejection (CME) will be launched into space. Because the active region is still located close to the limb, most of the plasma should be directed away from our planet. Despite this, and Earth directed glancing blow may still be possible. More to follow!"
Yup. I was right. It was AR3514, now AR3536. Batten down the hatches!
Spaceweather:
MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Mere hours after emerging over the sun's eastern limb on Dec. 31st, big sunspot AR3536 erupted, producing a major X5-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash.
Radiation from the flare has caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean: blackout map. #HamRadio operators may notice loss of signal at all frequencies below 30 MHz for more than 60 minutes after the flare's peak (2155 UT).
It's too soon to know for sure, but this explosion probably launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. Because the blast site is located near the extreme eastern edge of the sun, the CME is unlikely to have an Earth-directed component, but stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
Update: This explosion caused a #SolarTsunami. You can see the shock wave in this animation from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
This is the strongest flare of #SolarCycle25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017.
Not sure if the latest #XClass #SolarFlare came from old AR 3415 (now AR 3536). Oh boy...!
#SoiarHam: 3514 Returns
December 31, 2023 @ 11:05 UTC
Our old friend AR 3514 from the previous rotation, the source of an X2.8 solar flare on December 14th is now beginning to turn back into view. So far on Sunday a couple of upper level C-Flares were detected around this region, so the potential for moderate M-Class activity should still exist. This region has now been reassigned AR 3536."
You know, I saw that there were a couple of M-class #SolarFlares earlier today, and I thought, 'Hmmmm. I wonder if we'll see an #XClass flare today?' And sure enough, an hour or so later...
https://kolektiva.social/@solarflarealert@meteo.social/111677214260620970
#Spaceweather news,
Saturday, November 25, 2023
"SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE ON THE SUN: But what? The face of the sun is peppered with active regions and unstable magnetic filaments. This image from Mike Borman of Evansville, Indiana, shows some of the possible blast sites:
"All of the dark diagonal filaments in Borman's photo are unstable and capable of flinging #CMEs into space. However, the most dangerous potential blast sites are circled. Those are #sunspots with delta-class magnetic fields; mixed magnetic polarities are bumping together, creating conditions suitable for powerful #Xclass #solarflares If such an explosion occurs this weekend, it will be #geoeffective because the sunspots are facing Earth."
https://spaceweather.com/images2023/24nov23/trouble_strip.jpg
Update: the probably for an #XClass flare is now 10%.
The sun has been extra active!
#Sunspot Cluster Update
November 22, 2023 @ 01:10 UTC
"Below is the latest look at the cluster of sunspots in the northeast quadrant of the Sun as we head into Wednesday. #AR3492 remains the most complex of these regions and has beta-gamma magnetic configuration. #AR3490 and #AR3497 were combined into one region and retains #AR3490 as its number. All three regions in close proximity to each other (3490, 3492, 3495) produced a number of low to mid level C-Flares during the past 12 hours. Moderate M-Flares will remain possible during the next 24 hours."
Current Solar Flare Threat
C-Flare: 99%
M-Flare: 55%
X-Flare: 10%
Proton: 05%
Source:
https://www.solarham.net/
Enormous '#Sunspot archipelago' 15 times wider than Earth could soon bombard us with #SolarFlares
Story by Harry Baker, November 21, 2023
"One of the largest and most densely populated sunspot regions seen in more than a decade has appeared on the sun's nearside to Earth — and has begun to unleash a barrage of solar storms that are shaking up our home star's surface in a big way. The sunspots' emergence could make it an interesting few weeks for Earth, which will soon be in the firing line of these eruptive dark patches.
"The first sunspot group, named #AR3490, rotated onto the sun's nearside on Nov. 18 over the star's northeastern shoulder. The dark patch was quickly followed by another sunspot group, #AR3491, which trailed in its wake, #Spaceweather.com reported.
"Scientists already knew that the sunspot groups were on their way because they had been tracking '#HelioseismicTremors," or ripples in the sun's surface, from the area. The sunspot region is 'so large, it is affecting the way the whole sun vibrates,' Spaceweather.com representatives wrote.
"Since emerging, the sunspot groups have split up and birthed new dark patches, including #AR3492, #AR3495, #AR3496 and #AR3497, which has created a 'solar archipelago of sunspots,' astronomy news site EarthSky reported.
"In total, the massive collection of sunspots spans around 125,000 miles (200,000 kilometers) across, which is more than 15 times wider than Earth, according to Spaceweather.com.
"The sunspots have already spat out at least 16 C-class and 3 M-class solar flares — which are the third and second strongest flare classes, respectively — in the last 4 days, according to SpaceWeatherLive.com. And experts are warning that there could be many more of these flares in the next few weeks, as well as potentially #XClass flares, the strongest type of solar flare.
"The impending flares may also birth coronal mass ejections (#CMEs), or enormous blobs of charged solar particles, that could slam into Earth and trigger strong geomagnetic storms, which could cause radio blackouts and spark vibrant aurora displays.
"Astronomers have also spotted several large loops of plasma, known as #SolarProminences, growing above some of the sunspots in the group. The largest loops tower more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) above the surface, according to EarthSky, and could snap off and fling into space at any moment, temporarily leaving behind enormous 'canyons of fire' in the sun's surface.
"At least three sunspot groups have also emerged on the sun's southern hemisphere in the last few days.
"The sunspots' emergence is the latest sign that the sun is fast approaching the explosive peak in its roughly 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum, which scientists now predict will begin next year.
"During solar maximum, sunspots become much more frequent and increase in size as the sun's magnetic fields get tangled up, allowing the dark patches to grow more easily.
"The latest dark patches make up 'probably the biggest sunspot region I've seen so far from [the current] solar cycle,' Chris Wicklund, a meteorologist and aurora photographer, wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). 'The next 14 days could be very interesting,' he added."
Blaze
Heat sparks,
Bursting bright,
Shatter Earth night,
Flare.
#sun #solarflare #xclass #earth #cinquain #poetry
http://www.businessinsider.com/sun-hits-earth-with-2-powerful-x-class-solar-flares-2023-8
If you're a #amateurradio #hamradio operator and have had degraded #hfbandconditions during the last hour, here's the culprit. #xclass #SolarFlare #solarcycle25 #spaceweather #spacewx
https://twitter.com/NWSSWPC/status/1688661504797884416?t=keF64UVCWwN4YI2Xv7EFIw&s=09
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